Systems and methods for promoting connectivity between a mobile communication device having a touch screen and a vehicle touch screen installed in a vehicle are disclosed. According to an embodiments, a system may include a controller configured to: connect to the mobile communication device and to the vehicle touch screen. The controller may also be configured to receive video signal of a current screen video image shown on the touch screen of the mobile communication device and transmit the current video image to the vehicle touch screen, causing a corresponding video image of the current screen video image to be displayed on the vehicle touch screen. The controller may further be configured to receive a signal indicative of a touch action that was performed on the vehicle touch screen, and cause the mobile communication device to respond as if a touch action corresponding to the touch action that was performed on the vehicle touch screen was performed on the touch screen of the mobile communication device.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A system for promoting connectivity between a mobile communication device (MCD) having a touch screen, a video source, and a vehicle touch screen installed in a vehicle, the system comprising: a switching unit in a single enclosure having a first connector for connecting to the MCD, a second connector for connecting to the video source, and a third connector for connecting to the vehicle touch screen, the switching unit is operative in a first state to pass video data between the first and third connectors and in a second state to pass video data between the second and third connectors; and a controller comprising a processor coupled to the switching unit, wherein the system is configured in the first state to connect between the mobile communication device and the vehicle touch screen and to receive a video image of a current screen video image shown on the touch screen of the mobile communication device and transmit the current video image to the vehicle touch screen, for displaying the video image of the current screen video image on the vehicle touch screen, and to receive a signal indicative of a touch action that was performed on the vehicle touch screen and to transmit the signal to the MCD, for the MCD to respond to the touch action according to the response to the same touch action on the touch screen of the MCD and wherein the system is configured in the second state to receive video data from the video source and transmit the received video data to the vehicle touch screen for displaying the received video data on the vehicle touch screen.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the switching unit.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to intercept communications from one or a plurality of vehicle communication buses of the vehicle.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or a plurality of vehicle communication buses is selected from the group consisting of: Engine Control Module (ECM), transmission bus, airbags bus, antilock braking systems bus, cruise control bus, electric power steering bus, media bus, windows bus, doors bus, and mirror adjustment bus.
5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to interpret from the intercepted communications a sensed condition as an operation command for the mobile communication device, and cause the mobile communication device to perform that operation command.
6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to forward information related to the vehicle to the mobile communication device.
7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to interpret from the intercepted communications an operation of one or a plurality of human-machine interface devices of the vehicle as an operation command for the mobile communication device, and cause the mobile communication device to perform that operation command.
8. The system according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the vehicle communication buses bus is according to, or based on, Controller Area Network (CAN) bus standard.
9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is housed in the single enclosure.
10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the MCD consists of, comprises, or uses, a portable device that includes the touch screen for displaying images and for receiving commands or information from the user using a Graphical User Interface (GUI), and the portable device is operative for transmitting and receiving information over a wireless networks.
11. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a cradle for mechanically docking and electrically connecting to the MCD, and wherein the first connector is part of the cradle.
12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle touch screen is mounted onto the vehicle dashboard for displaying images to the vehicle driver or to a passenger seating in the vehicle.
13. A method of promoting connectivity between a mobile communication device (MCD) having a touch screen, a video source, and a vehicle touch screen installed in a vehicle, the method comprising: connecting a switching unit for switching video data to the vehicle touch screen from the MCD and the video source; connecting a controller that comprises a processor to the switching unit for causing the switching unit to be in first and second states; switching, in the first state using the switching unit, a live link between the vehicle touch screen and the mobile communication device; receiving in the first state a video image of a current screen video image shown on the touch screen of the mobile communication device and transmitting the current video image via the switching unit to the vehicle touch screen, so that video image of the current screen video image be displayed on the vehicle touch screen; receiving in the first state by the switching unit a signal indicative of a touch action that was performed on the vehicle touch screen; causing in the first state the mobile communication device to respond to the touch action according to the response to the same touch action on the touch screen of the mobile communication device; receiving in the second state video data from the video source; and transmitting in the second state the received video data to the vehicle touch screen for displaying thereon.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising configuring the controller to operate the switching unit.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising: intercepting communications, by using the controller, from one or a plurality of vehicle communication buses of the vehicle.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising, interpreting from the intercepted communications a sensed condition as an operation command for the mobile communication device, and causing the mobile communication device to perform that operation command.
17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising forwarding by the controller information related to the vehicle to the mobile communication device.
18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising interpreting from the intercepted communications an operation of one or a plurality of human-machine interface devices of the vehicle as an operation command for the mobile communication device, and causing the mobile communication device to perform that operation command.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 15, 2013
January 3, 2017
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